Saying Goodbye
by LaurieLovesErik
Summary: Bella is 77 years old, and dying. This is her last letter to her beloved, Edward; her last chance to say goodbye. Unusually fluffy for me. Please read and review!
1. Bella

**A/N: The premise: Bella is 77 years old and dying. This is assuming she and Edward married, and she was not transformed into a vampire. Please review!!!**

_My wonderful Edward,_

_I write to you now not with a heavy heart, but a heart that has seen so much joy in its short life that it feels like singing. This is what you have done to me—what every day, week, month, and year being with you has done to me. _

_Seventy-seven years seems like a long time to so many. But in reality, it's a terribly short time to spend with the ones you love. And yet, I am not unhappy to be leaving this life. Instead, I am eternally grateful for each minute I have spent with you, short as they may seem. _

_I still find it hard to believe that a person as wonderful as you could ever love me half as much as you love me. Lucky, lucky Bella, I tell myself, to have someone as wonderful as you. And as I look over at you now, playing my lullaby, I marvel at your beauty. Not just your outer beauty, but your inner beauty as well. You have the most beautiful soul I have ever had the fortune to come across. Most would be insanely lucky to have half as much soul as you, though I am sure you doubt it. You aren't a monster, Edward. You are a _person_. One of the most wonderful people in the world._

_I'm suddenly understanding why people sometimes cry out "I'm too _young_ to die!" I suddenly feel very old—not from looking at you and your family, but from all the wonderful memories I've managed to collect over the years. I feel like I have so much life still left in me—though my time is coming soon. It probably already has, if you're reading this now. But don't worry for me, Edward; I'm not afraid of death. I've had a happy, long life, and that's more than what most people get. _

_As for Alice, Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie, Esme, and Carlisle; tell them I love them, and I'm so thankful for all they've done for me. I am so grateful to have known each of them; they have truly made me a better person._

_I love you, Edward, more than anyone has ever loved before. You are the sun that lights my day; the moon that illuminates my night. _

_I just have one last request for you: please don't do anything stupid after I'm gone. The last thing I want is for you and your family to be split apart. Besides, I know I'll see you soon. And until then, I'll be dreaming of you, like always._

_Eternally yours,_

_Bella_


	2. Alice

**A/N: So...my idea was to do a chapter with each of the characters dealing with Bella's death (I was thinking of doing Alice, Jasper, Esme, Carlisle, Emmett, Rosalie, and Edward). Love it or hate it? Let me know what you think!**

_Alice_

The night was clear; bright stars twinkled above our heads in unison with her beating heart. It was strange, after all these years, that the soft thump of her heart still amazed me—just the whole..._vulnerability_ aspect amazed me. To think that something so fragile could exist for so long was truly amazing. But still, all things had to come to an end eventually.

I was quite sure this was the night she would tell me; I had seen it nearly thirty years ago, after Carlisle discovered the cancer. I remembered that night perfectly, how Edward had not left her side for a full month after the diagnosis, determined to convince her to change. And yet, no matter how much he begged and pleaded, her determination had not been swayed an inch.

That had always puzzled me. Who _wouldn't_ choose the easy way out? To live forever, never aging, never dying...never having to leave the ones you loved...

I had lived with that question for so long, always waiting for the right moment to ask. Maybe I would ask tonight...

My vision slipped out of focus, searching for something as though it were hidden in a dark cabinet; knowing it was there, but not exactly where...

Ah, yes. This was the night.

"What did you see?" Her tone was light, and a contented smile danced on her lips.

"It's...nothing." We were both silent for a few minutes, the night air unusually still. I knew the others were listening in, desperate to soak up as much Bella as they could before it was all gone, though none of them would admit it.

"They're listening, aren't they?" She laughed lightly, as though she would expect nothing less from us. I nodded.

"They're going to miss you. We all are." My voice choked in my throat, though I knew she wouldn't have heard it.

"Why are you doing it?" I asked slowly, knowing they were all as desperate to understand as I was. I fixed my gaze directly into her chocolate eyes, still lovely after all these years.

"Because...well, because I've had so much happiness in my life. So much more than anyone deserves to have, certainly more than anyone _has_ ever had. Besides, it's my time. Why tamper with fate?"

I heard a soft growl from the living room, and knew Emmett was disappointed by her answer. We all were; it made absolutely no sense.

"Bella, my entire family has been screwing with fate for hundreds of years. That's not a good enough reason."

She smiled, as if expecting my answer. "None of you had a choice; the decision was always made for you by someone else. Besides, look at me: I'm all wrinkly and used up. Why on earth would I want to spend the rest of eternity like this?"

I heard a hiss this time, and knew exactly what Edward would be thinking_: "Bella, you're always beautiful. More beautiful than anything else on the planet."_

And she was. Her face was lined, and her body worn out, but she still exuded more happiness than anyone else I'd ever met. Her eyes shone, no matter what was going on, and they way she acted around Edward...well, she practically glowed. She could easily spend the rest of eternity looking the same way she did now.

_Damn right,_ I could practically hear Emmett saying. He had always felt like a big brother to Bella, so I knew this was especially difficult for him, watching his little sister die slowly.

It was so hard for each of us, watching her fade. We had all come to know Bella as part of our family, ever since she had come to us as a shy seventeen-year-old. None of us could imagine life without her.

"You'll deal with it. I know you will; you're all so strong. Besides, I'm bound to see you eventually. Eternity can't last _that_ long."

We were both silent after that, content just being together. On some weird level, I understood what she meant...

It made perfect sense that we would all be together again, after all, we were family.

Everything would be okay.

**A/N: Review! Review! Let me know how I did with this chapter; I've never done anything with Alice's POV before, and I hope I got it right... Thank you so much for reading; I appreciate you all!**

**Laurie**


	3. Esme

Carlisle squeezed my hand gently as we sat together in the kitchen, listening to the faint heartbeat coming from upstairs. I had known this moment would come, but was not ready to say goodbye to my youngest daughter yet. I doubted I ever would be.

I listened carefully, praying to God that this was not the end. A tiny part of my grief was for myself, since I loved Bella and would miss her terribly, but the majority was for Edward.

I had always worried about him; he never seemed interested in anything before he met Bella Swan. Their love had been a blessing; a miracle, even. He had transformed.

But he had slowly faded back to the way he was sixty years ago. Cold and withdrawn, he never smiled or laughed except around Bella. He cared too much for her to see him that way, and he did not want her last memories of him to be lifeless and uncaring.

_Thump... Thump... Thump....._

And then the house was completely silent.

I could feel the anguish radiating from their bedroom, could practically hear his mind crying out in horror. Carlisle inclined his head slightly to the stairs, and I hurried as quickly as I could to Edward.

He was silent, unmoving as he watched her still figure with pleading eyes. She was lying face up on the bed, a peaceful look on her face.

I put my hand on his shoulder, and he shuddered deeply.

"She... She's...gone." He whispered, his voice broken and his words jagged.

"I know." My heart broke as I said those words, for I knew he was enduring unimaginable pain right now.

For two full minutes he was silent, taking in shallow, jagged breaths. Then he gently pushed my hand off his shoulder and stood up.

"Thank you." He kissed my cheek, then sped from the room.

I heard Carlisle, Emmett and Jasper take off after him. It sounded as though they were tearing through the forest, and from the deafening bangs and thumps I concluded Edward was taking out his grief on the forest.

Alice was at my side in an instant.

"He's leaving." She whispered sadly.

"Forever?" I asked. I had always known it was a possibility, but hoped he would stay with us to recover.

She nodded once as her eyes slid out of focus for an instant. "He's...he's going to Volterra."

I nodded again. I was devastated for me, for Alice, for all of us. But I understood why he was doing this. I was reminded of my tiny baby so many years ago, when they told me he wasn't going to live... And how I had reacted.

In that moment, I forgave him.

And I knew, somehow, they would be together soon.

**A/N: Please let me know what you thought of this chapter. Also, I apologize for not updating sooner, but my life has been a tornado of homework and finals lately. New chapter is partly written and on its way soon, I pinky-swear!**

**Thank you for reading!**

**Laurie**


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